1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an antitheft device and more particularly to an antitheft device that may be operated with a reversible type key.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention relates to antitheft devices for motor vehicles wherein the steering column is locked by means of a latch which is pushed into the steering column locking position by a drawback spring and wherein said latch is prevented from accidentally moving into said same position by a retaining device comprising a rocking lever provided at its two end portions with two projections, one of these projections sliding on said latch and, in the unlocked position of the latch, being positioned in a recess of said latch, the other of said projections being a spring-loaded finger or feeler which detects the presence of the ignition key in the key slot of the locking device.
An antitheft device of this type is disclosed in German Pat. No. 1,480,411 in the name of Josef Voss KG. In the German patent, the feeler of the rocking lever projects into the key slot of the locking device and slides along the back side of the key, i.e. the side opposite to the teeth of the key. The disadvantage of this known antitheft is the fact that it is not possible to use reversible keys which may be inserted into the key slot of the locking device without first choosing the correct orientation of the key.